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Judge Jeffrey Tait, in a ruling Tuesday, said the inmates hadn't established their entitlement to immediate release and questioned the validity of their health concerns.

The original lawsuit filed April 6 sought expedited release of five inmates, but after a series of legal decisions in the past two weeks, three of those inmates were either released from jail either as previously scheduled or by mutual agreement. One inmate's release petition was withdrawn.

In his ruling, Tait acknowledged "a growing body" of case law in the courts involving petitions to release inmates over potential COVID-19 concerns, but said medical records for Post and Ziennker didn't list or disclose any medical conditions that would present a greater risk of serious medical harm if they contracted the coronavirus.

Both inmates denied having the very medical conditions they claim to have when asked during intake upon entering the jail, Tait said.

As part of efforts to contain the virus, Sheriff David Harder said, all inmates are required to wear face masks while outside their cells. Body temperatures are checked daily, twice for corrections officers, and cells are cleaned daily.

New inmates are also held in a separate pod two weeks before being transferred to general population.

Broome County jail officials said in court documents the facility is housed at less than 50% of its roughly 600-inmate capacity. Most inmates are in separate cells and some 33 inmates are housed in a dormitory setting.